Conventional beds that consist of a mattress and box springs are commonly supported by a bed support consisting of two longitudinal bed rails extending between the comer bed posts of a footboard and a headboard to support the box springs from both lateral sides. Each bed rail is typically an elongated angle member that includes two downwardly directed hooks or fingers at each end. In this arrangement, the footboard and headboard actually support the bed rails and therefore the mattress. The bed rail hooks are designed to fit into a vertical slot in each bedpost of the headboard and footboard and hook over two horizontal pins disposed in the slot.
Conventional bed rails of the type described above are typically formed of stamped metal. Stamped metal bed rails are relatively expensive to manufacture because of the costs of the raw materials (typically steel), the metal forming processes, and a separate painting step. Moreover, the metal bed rails are heavy, substantially increasing the costs of shipping and handling the bed rails.
Mattresses of different sizes (e.g., twin size, full size, queen size, king size, and California king size) have different lengths. Bed rails as described above typically are not length adjustable. Therefore, a retailer who sells beds of different sizes and wishes to provide bed rails for each such bed must have bed rails of appropriate length for each bed size. Moreover, even if the corresponding size bed rail is available, it often does not provide a close length fit, in which case a gap may be left between the mattress and the headboard or footboard or, if no footboard is used, the frame may protrude beyond the end of the mattress. Attempts have been made to provide length adjustable bed rails as described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,080,577 to Pascale et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,539,933 to Silverman, U.S. Pat. No. 3,161,894 to Short, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,261 to Stanley et al. However, each of the described bed rails suffers from one or more drawbacks in manufacture, assembly, or effectiveness.
Today, mattresses and mattress and box spring sets are available in a range of thicknesses. In particular, so called "pillow top" mattresses have become popular. In the past, mattresses were typically only 6 to 8 inches thick. Today, premium mattresses often exceed one foot in thickness because of longer internal springs and thicker padding on both sides thereof. While they are more comfortable than older, thinner mattresses, thick mattresses cause several problems, especially with older headboards/footboard sets that were designed to be used with thinner mattresses. One problem is that esthetically footboards and headboards were normally designed so that the top of the mattress assumes a prescribed elevation relative thereto. However, with thick mattresses, the top of the mattress may rise several inches above the top of the footboard. A similar problem occurs at the head of the bed. Although a thick mattress would not likely rise above the top of most headboards, a thicker mattress may be nevertheless not achieve the esthetic appearance described. Another problem is that bed coverings such as comforters and quilts, which are intended to hang off the sides of the mattress towards the floor, are not spaced properly from the floor when they are atop a thicker mattress. Also, the pillows and upper end dressings do not properly align with the headboard. A further problem, especially with elderly people and shorter people, is that thicker mattresses result in the bed surface being at a higher elevation and thus more difficult to get in to and out of, possibly leading to injury. Thus, it would be beneficial to provide means for selectively adjusting the height of a mattress relative to the ground.
Generally, and particularly in the case of larger mattress sizes, transverse slats are provided extending between the bed rails. Typically, the ends of the slats are supported by the flanges of the bed rails which also support the edges of the mattress. The slats are often 3/4 inch or more thick. The slat thickness projects upwardly into the mattress so that the mattress is not uniformly supported. As a result, the mattress may be unstable and may have uncomfortable ridges or bulges.
Mattresses of different sizes have different widths. Thus, slats of different lengths are required for different size mattresses. Typically, the provided slats are simply wooden boards which are cut to a length corresponding to the width of the mattress. Attempts have been made to provide length adjustable slats as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,080,577 to Pascale et al, U.S. Pat. No. 1,504,897 to Brotherton Jr., et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,452,808 to Tucker, U.S. Pat. No. 2,886,832 to Mitchell, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,984,884 to Spitz, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,261 to Stanley, et al. Each of these slat designs suffer from one or more drawbacks in manufacture, installation, or use.
Another problem encountered by bed retailers is the growing popularity of California king size mattresses. California king size mattresses are 4 inches longer and 6 inches narrower than conventional king size mattresses. Because the mounting slots of the headboard and footboard of a king size bed are typically preformed to fit a standard king size mattress, conventional bed rails do not properly fit the California king size mattress.
Thus, there is a need for a bed frame system having bed rails which are cost effectively manufactured. Further, the bed rail should have relatively light weight and be otherwise cost effective to ship and handle.
There is a need for a bed rail which is conveniently length adjustable and which also provides effective and substantially uniform support for a mattress. There exists a need for such a bed rail which is height adjustable to accommodate different thicknesses of mattresses. In particular, there exists a need for a bed frame system which may be assembled to custom fit and support mattresses of substantially all commonly available sizes and which, moreover, provides for selective mattress height adjustment.
Further, there exists a need for a bed rail which allows the provision of transverse support slats but which reduces or eliminates the irregularities in mattress support caused by the thickness of the slats.